The storytelling up to this point has been aimed at bringing these four kids back together, with the additional burden they inherited upon reaching Vermonia of finding out they were destined to save the world. No pressure, right? Each of the kids embodies the animal spirit of a former advisor, transformed as a means of protecting them from their enemy, General Uro. Uro toppled the queen of Vermonia, but wasn't able to achieve full power for lack of a mysterious substance that the queen secreted away. When the kids realize their goal of saving their friend will only be achieved by lifting the oppressive reign of Uro, they take up their charges with enthusiasm. The fourth friend, Mel, is initially captured and held against her will, but she now seems to be sympathetic to Uro's cause.
Mel as a turncoat worked for one book, but she can only be used so much against her friends before things stagnate. She's been a loner and a downer for most of the story, so her temptation is understandable. There's a stream of empathy in Mel that makes us hopeful, but The Rukan Prophecy starts to feel too black-and-white: Mel on the dark side, her friends battling for The Force. The other aspect of Vermonia that begins to drag is the crowded cast of characters. The kids range far and wide across the land, encountering new races that are in need of saving, or that join the fight against Uro. If these stories were single-book arcs, it would be one thing, but we're barely up to speed on one tribe before another is introduced. By the time you reach The Rukan Prophecy, you'll be well and truly lost, and not caring as much as you should about the progress these kids are making toward their goal. If anything, they seem to be slipping further and further away... Instead of goading us on to read more, Vermonia 4: The Rukan Prophecy leaves us more than a bit muddled.
